Lullaby. Edmonton Symphony Orchestra: "A Concert for New York" (2013). 2014 Western Canadian Music Awards nominee for Classical Recording of the Year.Purchase.
"...the creative notes by Robert Rival give us more to think about than usual."
—Alan Becker, American Record Guide, Sep/Oct 2016
(review of Christian Leotta: Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, ATMA 2016)
"I also like the liner notes by Robert Rival. I found his writing very informative and revealing from a composer's perspective. It brought to life Bach's complex and virtuosic composition technique in creating this remarkable and timeless work of art."
—Christina Petrowska-Quilico, The WholeNote, May 2012
(review of David Jalbert: Bach Goldberg Variations, ATMA 2012)
"Robert Rival [...] provides the excellent booklet notes."
—David Olds, The WholeNote, Feb 2015
(review of Quatuor Molinari: Sofia Gubaidulina: Chamber Music, ATMA 2015)
"Précisons que la notice de ce disque débute en français sur un texte fort intéressant de Robert Rival, traduit [de l']anglais. Il insiste sur les traits importants de l'œuvre et sur le contexte de sa composition."
—Vincent Guillemin, ANACLASE, 2015
(review of Orch. Métropolitain, Yannick Nézet-Séguin: Bruckner 3, ATMA 2014)
Save precious funds by renting a note from my catalogue instead of commissioning a new one. Browse the complete list.
As of January 2024, I've written notes for over 700 works—including opera, art song, chamber music and music for orchestra and solo piano—by composers from Hans Abrahamsen to John Zorn. (Beethoven leads with 65 works in the catalogue.)
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Podcasts
Remembering Malcolm Forsyth
In this series of podcasts recorded on October 27, 2011 while I was the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra's Composer-in-Residence, I interviewed two distinguished Alberta composers, Allan Gordon Bell and Allan Gilliland, about Forsyth’s life and work.
Remembering Malcolm Forsyth:
Interview with Allan Gordon Bell (Part 1)
In this first of two podcasts, Bell discusses sensuous beauty in Forsyth's music, the freshness of his musical style, the influence of his African heritage, his embrace of indigenous Canadian musics, his dictum "compose for musicians, not instruments", and reports on a very special answering machine message.
Music from Atayoskewin: Suite for Orchestra | Duration: 16:01 mins.
Remembering Malcolm Forsyth:
Interview with Allan Gordon Bell (Part 2)
In this second of two podcasts, Bell describes his first "terrifying" encounter with his teacher, composition lessons and Forsyth's "unshakable belief in the value of a work of art". Bell lists his favourite works and muses about Forsyth's legacy.
Music from Sagittarius (lead-in) & Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra (lead-out) | Duration: 16:10 mins.
Remembering Malcolm Forsyth:
Interview with Allan Gilliland
Gilliland recalls getting dressed down for missing a dress rehearsal, composition lessons in a room housing three JUNOs, Forsyth's immense knowledge of and complete immersion in the orchestra as a player, conductor and composer, and invaluable lessons learned working as Forsyth's copyist.
Music from Electra Rising: Concerto for Violoncello & Chamber Orchestra | Duration: 16:01 mins.
